Bit OT but following on from the interesting discussions we had on the 'End
of Analog TV', has anyone come across a commercial stand-alone converter,
that will take in analogue video, and output an RF DTV signal ? Sort of like
a standard UHF modulator, but producing a DTV compatible signal. I know that
such items have been put together by hams for digital ATV transmissions, but
as far as I know, it has all been homebrew stuff.

The reason I am looking for such an item is that I am about to buy a new LCD
TV for the kitchen that I've just done up. I currently have a UHF
distribution system running round the house, which is fed with off-air
signals from the roof antenna, as well as output from the Sky+ sat box /
recorder, and my TiVo box. I would like to be able to watch the Sky and TiVo
signals on that new set in the kitchen. Trouble is, most of the sets now
being sold in the UK, have a built in Freeview digital tuner, and no
analogue capability, so they would not respond to any of the analogue
signals being fed round the distribution system, including my Sky and TiVo.

Seems to me that this is going to be a problem in the future, as many people
feed analogue signals from recorders and sat receivers around their houses,
to watch on portables in the kitchen and bedrooms etc. As these sets get
replaced, even if you continue to feed DTV RF signals around the house, you
are not going to be able to get the additonal signals from your other kit,
that you previously did. That will mean that the only set that you can watch
your Sky signals on, will be the one that is directly video linked to the
box.

I am sure that many people just don't realise what facilities they are going
to lose in the weeks immediately following the closing down of their
analogue service. How many people realise that every portable TV, VCR, DVD
recorder, HDD recorder etc that they now have all around their houses, is
going to need a DTV STB ahead of it ?

Arfa